Why Being Vulnerable is the Greatest Strength You Can Have in Life
Vulnerability. We associate it with characteristics such as being naive, easily duped, and, worse yet, weak. We are trained that the opposing condition of being is not only superior but also virtuous throughout all of our existence, and this teaching never stops.
Being guarded, sheltered, and immune to the caprices of life is lauded in our culture not just as a virtue but also as the “ideal” psychological and emotional state that we should strive to achieve.
After all, who intentionally seeks to suffer an injury? Who among us would want to be vulnerable and answerable for everything random that may occur in their lives? The correct response is… very few of us!
The truth is that not only are we all susceptible regardless of how hard we try not to be, but also that our perspective on vulnerability is entirely warped and confused despite the fact that we strive so hard to avoid being exposed.
The Contradiction in Terms of Vulnerability
The paradox of vulnerability is that it’s the first thing I search for in others, yet the last thing I want them to see in me is that I’m vulnerable.
The concept of vulnerability plays a very mysterious role in the human experience. We search for it in other people while avoiding confronting it within ourselves. Even if we don’t want it, we have to have it. – Brene Brown
There is no getting around the fact that being vulnerable makes us more prone to experiencing pain, loss, and disappointment; this is an undeniable fact. But without allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, we are unable to experience the joy and rapture of life, we are unable to be our authentic selves, and we are unable to be human, since to be human is to be inherently flawed. Without allowing ourselves to be vulnerable, we are unable to experience the joy and rapture of life.
Embracing one’s own vulnerability, as I’ve found out for myself, throws open a plethora of doors to opportunity. I wouldn’t have been able to write and expose my many vulnerabilities and shortcomings if I hadn’t first broken the illusion of my faultless veneer, for example.
If I hadn’t been shaken, challenged, and put on display, I would not have been able to learn anything from the experience. And I would not have been able to communicate with and provide a safe haven of love and understanding for numerous gloriously imperfect individuals if it weren’t for the fact that I was flawed myself.
Being vulnerable requires bravery because it requires one to stand courageously in the face of their fears by facing the uncertainty of the possibility of being attacked or compromising themselves. If you reject or deny that you are vulnerable, you are closing yourself off to life and all of the potential it has to offer out of fear, not because you are strong.
According to what the author, Stephen Russel, has stated:
The only really honest condition is one of vulnerability. Being vulnerable involves leaving oneself open to being hurt as well as experiencing pleasure. Being vulnerable enough to feel life’s pain also means being willing to experience its richness and splendor.
Putting Yourself in a Position Where You Are Vulnerable
“What in the name of all that is holy would compel me to expose myself to greater risk?” This is the type of reflexive response that many people have when faced with such a possibility. The reality is that there are a great many explanations for this:
When you allow yourself to be vulnerable, you give yourself the opportunity to feel a deeper connection to other people and to form relationships that are ultimately more fulfilling.
Because it makes you more emotionally open to others, embracing your vulnerability makes your romantic and personal connections stronger.
When you allow yourself to be vulnerable, you give yourself the opportunity to be more genuine and honest with yourself and others.
When you allow yourself to be vulnerable, you open a lot of doors for yourself that would have been closed to you otherwise if you had walled yourself off.
When you allow yourself to be vulnerable, you open yourself up to being challenged, which in turn helps you to develop, learn, and become stronger.
By enabling you to participate in life to the fullest, experiencing all it has to offer with an open heart and mind, embracing your vulnerability is beneficial to your overall health and well-being.
Feeling vulnerable continues to be a terrible experience for me; it’s something I relate to when I go around naked in public with the phrase “hit me” scrawled on my forehead. I feel like I’m inviting others to hurt me by putting myself in that position.
The reality is that practically all of us share the same concern about this issue. You are never alone. If you’re anything like me, you’re probably still figuring out how to accept being vulnerable and how to make this significant leap of faith in your life. If that’s the case, you may find some of the following information helpful:
1. Develop your own sense of self-assurance via the power of love.
One of the primary reasons individuals become unapproachable is because they suffer from severe low self-esteem and a lack of love and appreciation for themselves. When we have a poor regard for ourselves, the condemnation and disapproval of others might seem like massive, crippling blows because they have such a devastating effect on us. It’s little surprise that so many of us dislike being vulnerable. The more self-love you nurture, the more belief you have in yourself, and the easier it is for you to accept being vulnerable as a result of this increased level of confidence.
2. The way in which other people treat you is a mirror image of the way in which they treat themselves.
When we expose ourselves in a vulnerable way, we are often greeted with cutting comments and critical assessments. The fact of the matter is that the manner in which other people treat us is an exact mirror of how those individuals treat themselves. People who are happy and upbeat are not likely to be cruel to others, while those who are unhappy and irritable are not likely to be nice to others. As soon as we come to terms with this, we may practice forgiveness and go on.
3. Let go of the impulse to exert control over the situation.
I’m a control freak. There. I said it. Where do you stand? One of the most important steps in the process of becoming more vulnerable is to recognize and accept your flaws, as well as to let go of the urge to control how other people see you. The talent of non-resistance may be difficult to master, yet it is very necessary in everyday life.
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However, the attitudes and beliefs that prevail in our society today present vulnerability as something that is unpleasant and even harmful to our health, despite the fact that it is a tremendous advantage. In fact, the reverse is true: our capacity to be vulnerable gives us the strength to love more deeply and to become stronger.
Now it’s up to you to do it! Please don’t hesitate to tell me about your thoughts and experiences in relation to this issue.
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